Johnny Bright
Encyclopedia
Johnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football
player in the Canadian Football League
. He played college football
at Drake University
. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
, the National Football Foundation
's College Football Hall of Fame
, the Missouri Valley Conference
Hall of Fame, the Edmonton Eskimos
Wall of Honour, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, and the Des Moines Register's
Iowa Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1951, Bright was named a First Team College Football All-American
, and was awarded the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Sportsmanship Award. In 1969, Bright was named Drake University's greatest football player of all time. Bright is the only Drake football player to have his jersey number (#43) retired by the school, and in June, 2006, received honorable mention from ESPN
.com senior writer Ivan Maisel as one of the best college football players to ever wear #43. In February 2006, the football field at Drake Stadium
, in Des Moines, Iowa
, was named in his honor. In November 2006, Bright was voted one of the CFL
's Top 50 players
(#19) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
.
In addition to his outstanding professional and college football careers, Bright is perhaps best known for his role as the victim of an intentional, most likely racially motivated, on-field assault by an opposing college football player from Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) on October 20, 1951, that was captured in a widely disseminated and Pulitzer Prize
winning photo sequence, and eventually came to be known as the "Johnny Bright Incident
."
on June 11, 1930, Bright was the second oldest of four brothers and a sister. Bright lived with his single mother, brothers, and sister, in a working class
, predominantly African-American neighborhood in Fort Wayne.
Bright was a three-sport (football
, basketball, track and field
) star at Fort Wayne's Central High School. Bright, who also was an accomplished softball
pitcher and boxer
, led Central High's football team to a City title in 1945, and helped the basketball team to two state tournament Final Four appearances.
, but, apparently unhappy with the direction of the Spartans football
program, transferred to Drake University
in Des Moines, Iowa
, where he accepted a track and field scholarship that allowed him to try out for the football and basketball
squads. Bright eventually lettered in football
, track
, and basketball
, during his collegiate career at Drake.
Following a mandatory freshman redshirt
year, Bright began his collegiate football career in earnest in 1949, rushing for 975 yards and throwing for another 975 to lead the nation in total offense during his sophomore year, as the Drake Bulldogs
finished their season at 6–2–1. In Bright's junior year, the halfback
/quarterback
rushed for 1,232 yards and passed for 1,168 yards, setting an NCAA record for total offense (2,400 yards) in 1950, and again lead the Bulldogs to a 6–2–1 record.
Bright's senior year began with great promise. Bright was considered a pre-season Heisman Trophy
candidate, and was leading the nation in both rushing and total offense with 821 and 1,349 yards respectively, when the Drake Bulldogs, winners of their previous five games, faced Missouri Valley Conference
foe Oklahoma A&M
at Lewis Field (now Boone Pickens Stadium
) in Stillwater, Oklahoma
, on October 20, 1951.
Bright's participation as a halfback/quarterback in the Drake University
vs. Oklahoma A&M football game on October 20, 1951 was controversial, as it marked the first time that such a prominent African-American athlete, with national notoriety (Bright was a pre-season Heisman Trophy
candidate and led the nation in total offense going into the game) and of critical importance to the success of his team (Drake was undefeated and carried a five game winning streak into the contest, due in large part to his rushing and passing), had played against Oklahoma A&M in a home game at Lewis Field
, in Stillwater
.
During the first seven minutes of the game, Bright had been knocked unconscious three times by blows from Oklahoma A&M defensive tackle, Wilbanks Smith. While the final, elbow blow from Smith broke Bright's jaw, Bright was able to complete a 61-yard touchdown pass to halfback Jim Pilkington a few plays later before the injury finally forced Bright to leave the game. Bright finished the game with 75 yards (14 yards rushing and 61 yards passing), the first time he had finished a game with less than 100 yards in his three year collegiate career at Drake. Oklahoma A&M eventually won the game 27-14.
A photographic sequence by Des Moines Register
cameramen Don Ultang and John Robinson clearly showed that Smith's jaw breaking blow to Bright had occurred well after Bright had handed off the ball to fullback
Gene Macomber, and that the blow was delivered well behind the play.
Recalling the incident without apparent bitterness in a 1980 Des Moines Register interview three years before his death, Bright commented:
The "Johnny Bright Incident", as it became widely known, eventually provoked changes in NCAA football rules regarding illegal blocking, and mandated the use of more protective helmets with face guards.
' points, despite missing the better part of the final three games of the season.
Following his final football season at Drake (1951), Bright was named a First Team College Football All-American
and finished fifth in the balloting for the 1951 Heisman Trophy
. Bright was also awarded the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Sportsmanship Award, and played in both the post-season East-West Shrine Game
and the Hula Bowl
.
In 1969, Bright was named Drake University's greatest football player of all time. He is also the only Drake football player to have his jersey number (#43) retired by the school. In June, 2006, Bright received honorable mention from ESPN
.com senior writer Ivan Maisel as one of the best college football players to ever wear #43.
in the first round of the 1952 National Football League draft
. Bright spurned the NFL, electing to play for the Calgary Stampeders
of the Western Interprovincial Football Union, the precursor to the West Division of the Canadian Football League
. Bright later commented:
Bright joined the Calgary Stampeders as a fullback
/linebacker
in 1952
, leading the Stampeders and the WIFU in rushing with 815 yards his rookie season. Bright played fullback/linebacker with the Stampeders for the 1952, 1953
, and part of the 1954
seasons. In 1954, the Calgary Stampeders traded him to the Edmonton Eskimos
in mid-season. He would enjoy the most success of his professional football career as a member of the Eskimos.
Though Bright played strictly defense as a linebacker in his first year with the Eskimos, he played both offense (as a fullback) and defense for two seasons (1955
–1956
), and played offense permanently after that (1957
–1964
). He, along with teammates Rollie Miles
, Normie Kwong, and Jackie Parker
, helped lead the Eskimos to successive Grey Cup
titles in 1954
, 1955
, and 1956
(where Bright rushed for a Grey Cup record 171 yards in a 50–27 win over the Montreal Alouettes
). In 1957, He rushed for eight consecutive 100-yard games, finishing the season with 1,679 yards. In 1958
, he rushed for 1,722 yards. In 1959
, following his third straight season as the Canadian pro rushing leader with 1,340 yards, Bright won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
, the first African-American or African-Canadian athlete to be so honored.
Bright was approached several times during his Canadian career by NFL teams about playing in the United States
, but in the days before the blockbuster salaries of today's NFL players, it was common for CFL players such as him to hold regular jobs in addition to football, and he had already started a teaching
career in 1957, the year he moved his family to Edmonton.
Bright retired in 1964
as the CFL's all-time leading rusher (Mike Pringle and George Reed
have since surpassed him). Bright rushed for 10,909 yards in 13 seasons, had five consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, and led the CFL in rushing four times. While Bright is currently 15th on the All-Pro Rushing list, his career average of 5.5 yards per carry is the highest among 10,000+ yard rushers (Pro Football Hall of Fame
r Jim Brown
is second at 5.2 yards per carry). At the time of his retirement, Bright had a then-CFL record thirty-six 100-plus-yard games, carrying the ball 200 or more times for five straight seasons. Bright led the CFL Western Conference
in rushing four times, winning the Eddie James Memorial Trophy
in the process, and was a CFL Western Conference All-Star five straight seasons from 1957
to 1961. Bright played in 197 consecutive CFL games as a fullback/linebacker. Bright's #24 jersey was added to the Edmonton Eskimos' Wall of Honour at the Eskimos' Commonwealth Stadium
in 1983. Bright was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
on November 26, 1970. In November 2006, Bright was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
(#19) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
.
degree in education
at Drake University
in 1952, putting his degree to use as a teacher, coach, and school administrator, both during and after his professional football career, eventually becoming the principal
of D.S. Mackenzie Junior High School and Hillcrest Junior High School in Edmonton, Alberta
, Canada
. He became a Canadian citizen
in 1962.
Bright died of a massive heart attack
on December 14, 1983, at the University of Alberta Hospital
in Edmonton, while undergoing elective surgery to correct a knee injury suffered during his football career. He was survived by his wife and four children.
Bright is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery
, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
, in Des Moines, Iowa
, was named in Bright's honor.
In September 2010, Johnny Bright School, a kindergarten through grade 9 school
, was named in Bright's honour, and opened in the Rutherford neighbourhood
of Edmonton. The school was officially opened on September 15 by representatives of the school district and Alberta Education Minister Dave Hancock, and included tributes from Bright's family, several dignitaries, and former colleagues of Bright from his both his athletic and educational careers.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
, the National Football Foundation
National Football Foundation
The National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
's College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
Hall of Fame, the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
Wall of Honour, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, and the Des Moines Register's
Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
Iowa Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1951, Bright was named a First Team College Football All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, and was awarded the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Sportsmanship Award. In 1969, Bright was named Drake University's greatest football player of all time. Bright is the only Drake football player to have his jersey number (#43) retired by the school, and in June, 2006, received honorable mention from ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.com senior writer Ivan Maisel as one of the best college football players to ever wear #43. In February 2006, the football field at Drake Stadium
Drake Stadium
Drake Stadium is a stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is primarily used for the Drake Relays, and is the home field of the Drake University Bulldogs. It opened in 1925 and underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005. Widening the track reduced the stadium's seating capacity from 18,000...
, in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, was named in his honor. In November 2006, Bright was voted one of the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's Top 50 players
TSN Top 50 CFL Players
The TSN Top 50 CFL Players was a list of the greatest fifty Canadian Football League players, as selected by a panel of sixty former CFL players, then-current and former coaches, executives, and media members in 2006. The panel was assembled by sports television network TSN in partnership with the...
(#19) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
.
In addition to his outstanding professional and college football careers, Bright is perhaps best known for his role as the victim of an intentional, most likely racially motivated, on-field assault by an opposing college football player from Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) on October 20, 1951, that was captured in a widely disseminated and Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning photo sequence, and eventually came to be known as the "Johnny Bright Incident
Johnny Bright Incident
The "Johnny Bright Incident" was a violent on-field assault against African-American player Johnny Bright by White American player Wilbanks Smith during an American college football game held on October 20, 1951 in Stillwater, Oklahoma...
."
Early life
Born in Fort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
on June 11, 1930, Bright was the second oldest of four brothers and a sister. Bright lived with his single mother, brothers, and sister, in a working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
, predominantly African-American neighborhood in Fort Wayne.
Bright was a three-sport (football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
) star at Fort Wayne's Central High School. Bright, who also was an accomplished softball
Fastpitch softball
Fast-pitch softball is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. The International Softball Federation is the international governing body of softball...
pitcher and boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, led Central High's football team to a City title in 1945, and helped the basketball team to two state tournament Final Four appearances.
Beginning of college football career
Following his graduation from Central High in 1947, Bright initially accepted a football scholarship at Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, but, apparently unhappy with the direction of the Spartans football
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
program, transferred to Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, where he accepted a track and field scholarship that allowed him to try out for the football and basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
squads. Bright eventually lettered in football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, and basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, during his collegiate career at Drake.
Following a mandatory freshman redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
year, Bright began his collegiate football career in earnest in 1949, rushing for 975 yards and throwing for another 975 to lead the nation in total offense during his sophomore year, as the Drake Bulldogs
Drake Bulldogs football
The Drake Bulldogs football program represents Drake University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level. Drake began competing in intercollegiate football in 1893.-Historic 1922 season:...
finished their season at 6–2–1. In Bright's junior year, the halfback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
/quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
rushed for 1,232 yards and passed for 1,168 yards, setting an NCAA record for total offense (2,400 yards) in 1950, and again lead the Bulldogs to a 6–2–1 record.
Bright's senior year began with great promise. Bright was considered a pre-season Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate, and was leading the nation in both rushing and total offense with 821 and 1,349 yards respectively, when the Drake Bulldogs, winners of their previous five games, faced Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
foe Oklahoma A&M
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
at Lewis Field (now Boone Pickens Stadium
Boone Pickens Stadium
Boone Pickens Stadium has been home to the Oklahoma State University Cowboys football team in rudimentary form since 1913, and as a complete stadium since 1920...
) in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
, on October 20, 1951.
"Johnny Bright Incident"
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
vs. Oklahoma A&M football game on October 20, 1951 was controversial, as it marked the first time that such a prominent African-American athlete, with national notoriety (Bright was a pre-season Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate and led the nation in total offense going into the game) and of critical importance to the success of his team (Drake was undefeated and carried a five game winning streak into the contest, due in large part to his rushing and passing), had played against Oklahoma A&M in a home game at Lewis Field
Boone Pickens Stadium
Boone Pickens Stadium has been home to the Oklahoma State University Cowboys football team in rudimentary form since 1913, and as a complete stadium since 1920...
, in Stillwater
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
.
During the first seven minutes of the game, Bright had been knocked unconscious three times by blows from Oklahoma A&M defensive tackle, Wilbanks Smith. While the final, elbow blow from Smith broke Bright's jaw, Bright was able to complete a 61-yard touchdown pass to halfback Jim Pilkington a few plays later before the injury finally forced Bright to leave the game. Bright finished the game with 75 yards (14 yards rushing and 61 yards passing), the first time he had finished a game with less than 100 yards in his three year collegiate career at Drake. Oklahoma A&M eventually won the game 27-14.
A photographic sequence by Des Moines Register
Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
cameramen Don Ultang and John Robinson clearly showed that Smith's jaw breaking blow to Bright had occurred well after Bright had handed off the ball to fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Gene Macomber, and that the blow was delivered well behind the play.
Recalling the incident without apparent bitterness in a 1980 Des Moines Register interview three years before his death, Bright commented:
The "Johnny Bright Incident", as it became widely known, eventually provoked changes in NCAA football rules regarding illegal blocking, and mandated the use of more protective helmets with face guards.
Post-injury & end of college football career
Bright's jaw injury limited his effectiveness for the remainder of his senior season at Drake, but he finished his college career with 5,983 yards in total offense, averaging better than 236 yards per game in total offense, and scored 384 points in 25 games. As a senior, Bright earned 70 percent of the yards Drake gained and scored 70 percent of the BulldogsDrake Bulldogs football
The Drake Bulldogs football program represents Drake University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level. Drake began competing in intercollegiate football in 1893.-Historic 1922 season:...
' points, despite missing the better part of the final three games of the season.
Following his final football season at Drake (1951), Bright was named a First Team College Football All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
and finished fifth in the balloting for the 1951 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. Bright was also awarded the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Sportsmanship Award, and played in both the post-season East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
and the Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
.
In 1969, Bright was named Drake University's greatest football player of all time. He is also the only Drake football player to have his jersey number (#43) retired by the school. In June, 2006, Bright received honorable mention from ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.com senior writer Ivan Maisel as one of the best college football players to ever wear #43.
Professional football career
Bright was the first pick of the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round of the 1952 National Football League draft
1952 NFL Draft
The 1952 National Football League Draft was held on January 17, 1952. Picks made by New York Yanks were assigned to the new Dallas Texans.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:...
. Bright spurned the NFL, electing to play for the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
of the Western Interprovincial Football Union, the precursor to the West Division of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
. Bright later commented:
Bright joined the Calgary Stampeders as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
/linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in 1952
1952 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1952:The Canadian Rugby Union received television revenue for the first time when it was paid $7,500 by CBC for the rights to televise the Grey Cup game...
, leading the Stampeders and the WIFU in rushing with 815 yards his rookie season. Bright played fullback/linebacker with the Stampeders for the 1952, 1953
1953 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1953:The Canadian Rugby Union was paid in total of $20,500 by three television stations for the rights to show the Grey Cup game live....
, and part of the 1954
1954 in Canadian football
The 1954 season of Canadian football is widely considered to be the first season of the modern era of Canadian football, although the Canadian Football League would not be officially founded for another four years.-Canadian Football News in 1954:...
seasons. In 1954, the Calgary Stampeders traded him to the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
in mid-season. He would enjoy the most success of his professional football career as a member of the Eskimos.
Though Bright played strictly defense as a linebacker in his first year with the Eskimos, he played both offense (as a fullback) and defense for two seasons (1955
1955 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1955:The IRFU allowed the third place team to qualify for a playoff berth.The Ontario Rugby Football Union withdrew from Grey Cup competition....
–1956
1956 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1956:On Sunday, January 22, the Canadian Football Council was formed in Winnipeg and the national negotiation list was introduced. G. Sydney Halter, QC was named as the Canadian Football Council Commissioner....
), and played offense permanently after that (1957
1957 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1957:The Canadian Football Council allowed interference to be legal up to third 5-yard stripe by eligible blockers.The 45th annual Grey Cup game was televised live from coast to coast in Canada for the first time...
–1964
1964 CFL season
The 1964 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 11th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 7th Canadian Football League season.-Final regular season standings:...
). He, along with teammates Rollie Miles
Rollie Miles
Elmer Roland "Rollie" Miles was a professional football player for the Canadian Football League Edmonton Eskimos. Miles played offence , defence , and special teams , during his eleven career with the Eskimos...
, Normie Kwong, and Jackie Parker
Jackie Parker
John Dickerson "Jackie" Parker was an American football player who became an All-American in college football and an outstanding professional football player in the Canadian Football League at the running back, quarterback, defensive back, and kicker positions. He is primarily known for his play...
, helped lead the Eskimos to successive Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
titles in 1954
42nd Grey Cup
The 42nd Grey Cup football game was played on November 27, 1954, before a full house at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, Canada.The underdog Edmonton Eskimos won a contest over the Montreal Alouettes by the score of 26 to 25...
, 1955
43rd Grey Cup
The 43rd Grey Cup game was played on November 26, 1955 before 39,417 football fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. This was the first Grey Cup played in Vancouver.The Edmonton Eskimos beat Montreal Alouettes by the score of 34 to 19.- Box Score :...
, and 1956
44th Grey Cup
The 44th Grey Cup game was played on November 24, 1956 before 27,425 fans at Varsity Stadium in Toronto.The favoured Edmonton Eskimos won their third straight Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes by the score of 50 to 27....
(where Bright rushed for a Grey Cup record 171 yards in a 50–27 win over the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
). In 1957, He rushed for eight consecutive 100-yard games, finishing the season with 1,679 yards. In 1958
1958 CFL season
The 1958 CFL season was the fifth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it would become known as the inaugural season of the Canadian Football League .-CFL news in 1958:...
, he rushed for 1,722 yards. In 1959
1959 CFL season
The 1959 CFL season was the sixth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it was the second season of the Canadian Football League.-Final regular season standings:...
, following his third straight season as the Canadian pro rushing leader with 1,340 yards, Bright won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
, the first African-American or African-Canadian athlete to be so honored.
Bright was approached several times during his Canadian career by NFL teams about playing in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but in the days before the blockbuster salaries of today's NFL players, it was common for CFL players such as him to hold regular jobs in addition to football, and he had already started a teaching
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
career in 1957, the year he moved his family to Edmonton.
Bright retired in 1964
1964 CFL season
The 1964 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 11th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 7th Canadian Football League season.-Final regular season standings:...
as the CFL's all-time leading rusher (Mike Pringle and George Reed
George Reed
George Robert Reed, CM is a former American college football and Canadian Football League player. Reed, along with Mike Pringle and Johnny Bright, is one of the players most often mentioned as being the greatest running back in CFL history...
have since surpassed him). Bright rushed for 10,909 yards in 13 seasons, had five consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, and led the CFL in rushing four times. While Bright is currently 15th on the All-Pro Rushing list, his career average of 5.5 yards per carry is the highest among 10,000+ yard rushers (Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
r Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
is second at 5.2 yards per carry). At the time of his retirement, Bright had a then-CFL record thirty-six 100-plus-yard games, carrying the ball 200 or more times for five straight seasons. Bright led the CFL Western Conference
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
in rushing four times, winning the Eddie James Memorial Trophy
Eddie James Memorial Trophy
The Eddie James Memorial Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, awarded to the leading rusher in the West Division. Unlike other CFL trophies, there is no equivalent for the East Division....
in the process, and was a CFL Western Conference All-Star five straight seasons from 1957
1957 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1957:The Canadian Football Council allowed interference to be legal up to third 5-yard stripe by eligible blockers.The 45th annual Grey Cup game was televised live from coast to coast in Canada for the first time...
to 1961. Bright played in 197 consecutive CFL games as a fullback/linebacker. Bright's #24 jersey was added to the Edmonton Eskimos' Wall of Honour at the Eskimos' Commonwealth Stadium
Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)
Commonwealth Stadium is a sports stadium located in the Norwood Area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, primarily used by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. The stadium is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton.- History :...
in 1983. Bright was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
on November 26, 1970. In November 2006, Bright was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
TSN Top 50 CFL Players
The TSN Top 50 CFL Players was a list of the greatest fifty Canadian Football League players, as selected by a panel of sixty former CFL players, then-current and former coaches, executives, and media members in 2006. The panel was assembled by sports television network TSN in partnership with the...
(#19) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
.
Post-football career and death
Bright earned a Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
at Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in 1952, putting his degree to use as a teacher, coach, and school administrator, both during and after his professional football career, eventually becoming the principal
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
of D.S. Mackenzie Junior High School and Hillcrest Junior High School in Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He became a Canadian citizen
Canadian nationality law
Canadian citizenship is typically obtained by birth in Canada, birth abroad when at least one parent is a Canadian citizen and was born or naturalized in Canada, or by adoption abroad by at least one Canadian citizen. It can also be granted to a permanent resident who lives in Canada for three out...
in 1962.
Bright died of a massive heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on December 14, 1983, at the University of Alberta Hospital
University of Alberta Hospital
The University of Alberta Hospital is a research and teaching hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The hospital is affiliated with the University of Alberta and run by Alberta Health Services, formerly Capital Health, the health authority for Alberta...
in Edmonton, while undergoing elective surgery to correct a knee injury suffered during his football career. He was survived by his wife and four children.
Bright is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery, Edmonton
Holy Cross Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery located at 14611 Mark Messier Trail NW in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The cemetery is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton and was opened by the Archdiocese in 1954....
, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Legacy
In February 2006, the football field at Drake StadiumDrake Stadium
Drake Stadium is a stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is primarily used for the Drake Relays, and is the home field of the Drake University Bulldogs. It opened in 1925 and underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005. Widening the track reduced the stadium's seating capacity from 18,000...
, in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, was named in Bright's honor.
In September 2010, Johnny Bright School, a kindergarten through grade 9 school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
, was named in Bright's honour, and opened in the Rutherford neighbourhood
Rutherford, Edmonton
Rutherford is a newer neighbourhood in south Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.According to the 2005 municipal census, approximately 85% of the residences in the neighbourhood are single family dwellings. The remainder are mostly duplexes with a small number of row houses...
of Edmonton. The school was officially opened on September 15 by representatives of the school district and Alberta Education Minister Dave Hancock, and included tributes from Bright's family, several dignitaries, and former colleagues of Bright from his both his athletic and educational careers.